A Destiny Rewritten
by rubyblue13
Summary: Padmé was frozen in carbonite for twelve years, but when she awakens, she joins the Rebel Alliance. When Padmé and Leia embark on a mission to Tatooine to bring Obi-Wan Kenobi to Alderaan, she catches a certain Sith Lord's attention. *3 main ships: Padmé x Vader/Anakin, Han x Leia, and Luke x male OC. This fic also includes Jedi!Leia. (Note: cross-posted on other sites)
1. The Mission

Alderaan is nothing like Naboo, but it is certainly just as beautiful. Padmé Amidala watches the snow gently fall from the overcast sky from her bedroom window. Bail is still asleep, but she has been awake for a few minutes now. As leaders of the Rebel Alliance, they have a great deal of work to do today.

But for now, Padmé stands with her arms folded across her chest, contemplating as she stares blankly out the tall window that looks into the courtyard. She is dressed in an elegant, silken lavender nightgown that pools down to the floor, and her dark hair falls in loose ringlets down her back. For more nights than she can count, she has shared a bed with Bail Organa, who was once her good friend, but now her lover. Other than Anakin, he was the only man she had ever felt safe and comfortable with. And if it were any other day but today, Padmé would have woken up feeling elated, but instead, her spirit feels crushed, just like it does every time this specific anniversary comes around: the day she and Anakin were married. It would have been their twenty-second.

Instead, he is dead, and Padmé is with Bail. Not that she resents her relationship with the King of Alderaan, and it is not that she doesn't love Bail. In her mind, she knows that she would be wasting her life away if she spent the rest of it alone and mourning him. But in her heart, Padmé knows that Anakin was her soulmate. It didn't matter how much she loved Bail; nothing would ever change that. So rather, she will spend her life with Bail and mourn him.

She would have cried if she were alone, but she doesn't want to wake Bail. If she did, she would have to explain, and… she didn't want him to think that he wasn't enough for her. So instead, she swallows her tears, and plays with the japor snippet that hangs around her neck, the one Anakin gave her when he was a boy.

The pain of losing him is still intense for her. To Padmé, only seven standard years have passed since the last time she saw Anakin alive, even though in reality, it has been nineteen long years. In order to save her from dying in childbirth, she was frozen in carbonite for twelve years. Slowly, she was rejuvenated enough to be awakened, and when she finally did rise from her slumber, she was thrown into a world without the love of her life. It was Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi who greeted her in her hospital room and explained that Anakin had been killed by a fellow Sith Lord named Darth Vader, another one of Palpatine's apprentices.

Seven years have passed since Padmé's awakening; biologically, and mentally, she is only thirty-four years old, since she did not age a single day while in her carbonite chamber. She should be forty-six, or dead at twenty-seven. (Padmé is just glad that it wasn't the latter.) And although Padmé has been awake for a long time now, the galaxy is still strange to her. Seeing Bail so much older, forty-eight years old now, seeing his hair slowly gray while hers stays the same chestnut brown. The same goes for everyone that Padmé knew before the Empire's insurrection. Time has gone by too quickly; losing twelve years can take a toll on a person. Part of her doesn't believe that nineteen years have gone by; she would like to believe that it would take less time to overthrow the Empire.

Her greatest regret is that she was not able to raise her children. When she met Leia, she was already twelve years old, and had an established mother figure, Breha Organa, Bail's former wife and the Queen of Alderaan. However, by the time Padmé awakened, Breha was dead, killed by Imperials when Leia was eight. If anything, Padmé was not a true mother figure to Leia, but a replacement for Breha. But at least she was accepted by Leia into her life; that was the most important thing to Padmé.

Luke, on the other hand, she was never allowed to see. The only reason Padmé could see Leia was because she chose to join the Rebel Alliance. Obi-Wan convinced her that she must keep her distance from Luke; it was already dangerous enough that she would be a part of Leia's life.

 _"If Darth Vader ever found you, or your children, he would hunt you, Luke, and Leia to the ends of galaxy."_

 _"Why?" Padmé had asked._

 _"He would sense the power within your children," Obi-Wan explained. "And if he knew that you were their mother, I'm sure he would use you to draw Luke and Leia into a trap."_

Darth Vader was the reason that Padmé lost her husband once and for all. It was bad enough that Anakin turned to the Dark Side before he died, but it was even worse that his betrayal is what got him killed. Vader was Palpatine's other apprentice, and now, his only one. She had no doubt that Obi-Wan was telling the truth; from what she knows, Darth Vader is a ruthless man with no regard for any life other than his own whatsoever.

She had no doubt that Owen and Beru Lars were taking good care of Luke, and that Obi-Wan was protecting him, but still, she has always wanted to meet her son. She can imagine him now, blue-eyed like Anakin, light hair kissed by the sun, staring out into the Tatooine sunset like his father had once done…

The soft caress of Bail's hands on Padmé's hips shatters her thoughts and pulls her back into reality. He presses into her, embracing her from behind. Padmé returns the gesture and smiles as Bail plants a kiss on her cheek.

"Good morning," he says, his voice low and scratchy from his drowsiness. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not for very long," Padmé replies. "I was just admiring the Alderaanian mountains." She looks out into the window, where the mountain range, covered with snow and tinted blue by the clouds, can be seen in the distance.

"Someday," Bail says softly, "Alderaan will be yours, just as it is mine." He implies marriage with what he says—an idea Padmé wouldn't normally be opposed to, but today, on her twenty-second wedding anniversary with Anakin, it is difficult to think about marrying another man.

"And when will that be?" she inquires.

"When we defeat the Empire," he replies. "When it's finally safe for you to show yourself to the public."

"If the Emperor and his lackey knew I was alive…" Padmé trails off, her mind distant.

"But they never will," Bail finishes her sentence for her. "They'll be gone by the time we're married, and you're the Queen of Alderaan."

It was a nice thought—married to Bail, the Empire gone from the galaxy. The memory of Anakin still tugs at her mind, but Padmé entertains Bail's ideas nevertheless. "And we'd be politicians again. Politicians of the Galactic _Republic_."

"Leia would still be Senator of Alderaan, and you'd be the Chancellor," Bail muses. "I would work with Leia, but spend most of my time ruling Alderaan."

"The Chancellor?" Padmé laughs softly. "Like Palpatine?"

"You'd be an amazing Chancellor. I can't imagine anyone better to fill the position."

"You're too sweet," she says with a warm smile. Padmé turns around and kisses Bail gently on the lips. It is nothing like kissing Anakin. Bail is soft and gentle, while Anakin was much more passionate and intense, and sometimes rather rough and demanding.

He is still embracing her when he pulls his lips away. "While I would love to stay like this, I believe we should head down to the meeting room."

"You're right," Padmé sighs. She isn't sure if she is relieved or disappointed that they have to leave. "We wouldn't want to keep Leia waiting for too long."

Bail steps away from her and smiles. "Yes, she can be quite impatient sometimes."

 _She reminds me of Anakin,_ Padmé thinks, but she doesn't say it aloud. Though Bail knows Leia is Anakin and Padmé's daughter, neither of them voice that very often. Not only is it an explosive secret, but also, there is no need to discuss it. Anakin has been dead for nineteen years, while Bail has been Leia's father figure all this time.

—✥—

Padmé and Bail are now dressed and walking down the corridor to the meeting room. Bail wears his usual clothing, a gray-blue suit with a silver belt and a dark navy cape. He always wears simple, but regal clothes, and keeps his dark hair very neat and carefully brushed. Padmé's clothing is much more extravagant; she wears a long sapphire-blue dress with elegant gold designs along the sides of the skirt and covering the sleeves to her wrists. The japor snippet still hangs around her neck, as it always does; and her hair is still long and flowing in loose ringlets down her back. She didn't have time to have her hair done as she normally would for an event, but this is just a simple meeting with her daughter and a few other distinguished rebels.

The doors to the meeting room slide open, revealing Leia, Mon Mothma, and Admiral Ackbar. Leia looks so much like Padmé, but she has her father's spirit. She has her mother's eyes and her mother's hair, but she has his fire and his raw power in the Force. However, like her mother, Leia is already a skilled politician and excels in diplomacy.

She has grown so beautiful and strong; it fills Padmé with pride to see her meeting with rebel leaders as not just a member, but a leader herself. She is more than a beautiful princess; she is a warrior, a soldier, and a general.

Her hair is done up in her signature buns on either side of her head, and her lips are stained rose with lipstick. Leia's dress is long and white, with a silver belt to accentuate her waist. She smiles at Padmé and Bail when she sees them and stands from her seat on one of the white sofas. Mon Mothma and Ackbar mirror her.

"Welcome," says Mon. Once Padmé and Bail take their seats across from them, the three of the other rebel leaders sit down, too.

"So," Bail begins, turning his gaze to Leia. "Are you going to explain why you called this meeting?"

Leia nods confidently. "Yes," she replies. "I wanted to discuss if it was possible for me to lead the mission to Tatooine."

Padmé raises her eyebrows. Immediately, her motherly instincts kick in. "It would be… very dangerous," she says. "I know you're capable, but I worry."

Her daughter smiles at her warmly. It doesn't comfort Padmé like it normally would; to think of her daughter being so close to harm's way made her more anxious than she could describe in words. If Leia was discovered… she doesn't even want to think about it. The thought of her falling into Darth Vader's hands twists knots into Padmé's stomach, knowing what would happen to her if she found herself in an Imperial prison.

"I believe General Leia has proven herself to be very proficient in leading missions," Admiral Ackbar chimes in. "I have no doubt in her abilities; she's never let us down before."

Leia smiles at him. "Thank you, Admiral Ackbar."

"I agree," Mon Mothma says. "Leia can be trusted to lead the mission to retrieve Master Kenobi."

"I'm hesitant to allow my daughter to go on such a dangerous mission… with the tensions with the Empire running this high, there is a chance they will intercept her," Bail considers. "If Padmé agrees, then I approve."

Leia looks at her mother expectantly, and Padmé knows that she cannot deny Leia the opportunity to lead such an important mission. But then she weighs in something else, something that would make her feel much more secure in sending Leia to the Outer Rim.

"I will sign off on it, _if_ —" Padmé begins. She glances at Leia to see that anxiety has flickered over her face at Padmé's words. "If I may accompany her. Kenobi is an old friend of mine, and I know the area he lives in fairly well."

 _And maybe,_ she thinks to herself, just maybe, _I could see Luke just once._ She hasn't laid eyes on her son since he was born, and it kills her. It hurts her down to her core and twists her heart into a mangled mess.

Everyone nods in agreement, except for Bail. He casts a worried look at Padmé, fearing the worst for both his daughter and for the woman he loves.

"I have no doubt that you can handle yourself," he tells her. "But please be careful, Leia, Padmé." Bail looks from his daughter to Padmé and then back again. "And come back in one piece, both of you—that's an order." He smiles weakly; Padmé can see that he doesn't truly approve of putting not just one, but both of the most important people in his life in danger. But this is what they signed up for when they became rebels, and Bail knows this as well as Padmé does.

"So, it's settled, then?" Leia asks hopefully.

Bail nods. "Yes. I agree. Padmé and Leia will embark on the mission to Tatooine together."

—✥—

In a few weeks' time, Padmé and Leia find themselves on the _Tantive IV_. It is a small corvette ship that is attached to a larger cruiser. They are accompanied by several other ships, ordered by Bail to ensure their safety. There could not be a more perilous time to venture so far out into space, and especially to a planet controlled by no faction. The Empire was dead set on closing in on the Rebel Alliance, and Padmé just hopes that the entire fleet will be able to make it to Tatooine. The best-case scenario would be that Padmé would see her son and return safely home to Alderaan with Obi-Wan. And the worst-case scenario…

Well, she didn't really want to consider that.

Padmé and Leia are standing on the bridge of the _Tantive IV_ , staring out into space. Leia is wearing her white dress with the silver belt again, and her hair is in those double buns. Padmé also wears simple clothing; a form-fitting white bodysuit with beige boots and a beige belt and cape to match, similar to the outfit she wore on Geonosis many years ago. She often draws inspiration from her older outfits, from a different era of the galaxy. Her outfit from Geonosis, and her hair from Mustafar—she wears it in the same long braid with the two thick braided buns at the base of her head. Padmé's makeup is minimal, since there's a chance she might have to be in combat today, but she does wear lip gloss, mascara, and neutral brown eyeshadow colors on her lids.

"Do you think—" Leia begins, but then several Imperial Star Destroyers jump out of light space right beside the fleet of rebels.

"Mother of moons," says Padmé under her breath. She turns to Leia, her eyes wide and frantic.

"Padmé…" Suddenly, Leia becomes very tense. Her hands clench into fists at her side, and her brows furrow. Padmé isn't sure if it's anger or fear on her face, or both. "That's Vader's Star Destroyer. _The Devastator."_

 _"Oh,"_ replies Padmé. She draws in a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the panic has already set in. She doesn't let if show, but if she was less composed and less brave, perhaps she would be running off to an escape pod by now. Padmé would never leave the rest of the crew on the ship behind, and there is still hope to reach Tatooine. They weren't very far off now, and if the Empire was just a few hours later, they would have made it.

Her heart is beating a million miles an hour, but her voice remains calm although the rest of her is not. "We have to detach from the cruiser," she says. "The rest of the fleet could distract the Star Destroyers while we slip away to Tatooine."

" _Fuck,_ " Leia curses. "I hate it," she continues. "But I know you're right."

If they weren't in such a dangerous situation, Padmé might have said, "You don't hate anything, Leia." But it isn't the time for her motherly worries. It is the time for action.

Padmé looks out the windshield of the ship again, to see that the Star Destroyers have released a swarm of tide-fighters into space. They fire on the cruiser that the _Tantive IV_ is attached to, and the ship trembles slightly beneath their feet.

"Tell the captain to flee," Padmé instructs a nearby commander. "Now!" He follows her orders, running towards the captain's station.

"Padmé," Leia turns to her mother, urgency in her eyes. "If we're captured…"

"Don't talk like that," she almost snaps in response. "We're not going to be captured. We can't—we—"

"But you know it's possible," says Leia.

"I know," Padmé replies with a nod. Her voice is full of certainty, but fear creeps into her voice and sends a tremor through her words. She is more afraid for Leia than for herself; she wouldn't know what to do if her daughter fell into the hands of the Empire.

A soldier rushes up to Leia and Padmé, breaking into their conversation. "General Organa, General Amidala," he says, heaving from running. "The cruiser has been boarded by Imperials. Darth… Darth Vader is with them." His face pales at the Sith Lord's name, and Padmé hopes that this poor man won't end up among the dead.

"Vader personally boarded the ship?" Padmé says in disbelief. "I thought that was normally just left up to his lackeys."

"Not this time, General Amidala," the soldier says. "He seems very adamant about ensuring that our mission fails."

Just as the soldier finishes his sentence, the _Tantive IV_ detaches from the large cruiser and blasts into space. Once the ship maneuvers away from the onslaught of tie-fighters, it jumps into lightspeed, leaving the Imperial forces behind.

For several minutes, it is calm, and the _Tantive IV_ continues as normal to Tatooine. Padmé is displeased about leaving their fellow rebels behind, but she knows that it was for the best. Their mission _must_ succeed. She can't imagine how they would defeat two Sith without a Jedi Master on their side, at this dire point in the war.

It isn't long before another messenger approaches Leia and Padmé with a card in his hand, which appears to be an information chip. "One of the men from the cruiser passed this along," he tells them.

Leia takes it in her hand and gasps. She looks up at Padmé, excitement in her eyes—something she didn't think she would see after their run in with the Empire.

"What did they send us?" Padmé asks.

" _Hope_ ," Leia replies. "It's the Death Star plans. I can't believe they did it—they really got them." Her lips curl into a smile as her fingers close protectively around the chip.

"I thought retrieving the plans was an impossible mission," says Padmé.

"Apparently not… this is remarkable. The team that acquired it must have given their lives to obtain this," Leia tells her mother. "These plans, combined with Kenobi… Padmé, we might really be able to win this war." She's beaming now, first at the data chip and now at Padmé. Her eyes are lit up with joy and Padmé can't help but notice how her smile looks so much like her father's.

She wants to smile, wants to revel in Leia's enthusiasm with her, but Padmé believes it is too late to celebrate. First, they have to get away from the Empire; there is still a chance they could be caught up to.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Padmé advises.

"I know, I know," agrees Leia. Her smile vanishes, but it still touches her eyes. She tucks the chip into the pocket of her dress, and she and Padmé begin to review their plan to bring Obi-Wan to Alderaan.

But hours later, once they can see Tatooine from the windshield of the _Tantive IV_ , trouble arises. Padmé, admittedly, was starting to get too hopeful; she should have put those thoughts away, because it's even more crushing than it normally would be when she sees the three Star Destroyers appear out of light space.

And this time, they have no backup. The only shot they may have is that the _Tantive IV_ is considerably faster than the Star Destroyers, but they would be easily slowed down by their firepower.

"Leia," Padmé says, urgency clear in her voice.

"I know," she replies. "The plans."

"We're not going to make it," Padmé tells her daughter seriously. "We could try to get to the escape pods, but…"

"I have a better idea," her daughter says. "Follow me."

As tie-fighters and Star Destroyers rain down fire on the fleeing _Tantive IV_ , Padmé and Leia quickly walk from the bridge into the main corridor that goes down the rest of the ship. They would have darted, but people are already panicking, and if they saw their generals running and hiding, it would absolutely crush their mens' morale. As Leia passes by rebel soldiers, she instructs them to position themselves in the corridor and prepare for a boarding party. Padmé and Leia can both feel the ship shaking under the fire of the Imperial forces, and they know they won't last long.

After a few minutes of walking, Padmé and Leia arrive in a small room that the main hallway leads to. R2-D2 is standing there, and he greets the two women with a few cheerful beeping noises. Just then, the ship

"Hello, Artoo," Padmé says. The ship trembles again and Padmé's stomach twists nervously, but she doesn't let her fear show through.

"Artoo, we need a favor," Leia tells the droid, but it is more of an order than a request. She explains the situation to the droid, and asks it to find 3-PO and launch the two droids in an escape pod with the Death Star plans to Tatooine. R2 agrees, and then Leia gives the droid further instructions to find Ben Kenobi and play a message for him.

Padmé stands aside for her to record her message. R2 begins recording, and Leia explains that the _Tantive IV_ has fallen under attack. She mentions that the mission has failed—a truth that Padmé loathes, but a truth that is undeniable at this point. Leia asks Obi-Wan to come to Alderaan and deliver the plans to Bail Organa, and Padmé wonders if she will ever see him again. It is unlikely, considering she will probably become an Imperial prisoner in a few moments.

Leia ends the message with, "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." Those words twist a knife into Padmé's chest— _her only hope_. She prays to whatever is out there, whether it be the Force or some kind of deity, that if not her, then Leia, will come out of this alive. She prays that the Rebellion will not falter, even with their mission failure.

After Leia inserts the plans into R2, the recording ends. "Go, Artoo," Leia commands the droid. "Find Threepio and the nearest escape pod."

The droid beeps several times in response, but it is not an aggressive sound as it normally is. It is soft, sympathetic almost.

"I know, Artoo," says Leia. "We'll be alright. Just focus on getting the plans to Kenobi."

Once Artoo glides away, Padmé turns to Leia. "Come on," she tells her. "Let's find a better hiding place."

"Just get your blaster ready," says Leia, resting her hand on the black blaster strapped to her belt. As her daughter speaks, the ship rumbles, but much more severely this time.

"They're here," Padmé comments, more to herself than to Leia.

Another violent rumble indicates that the boarding party must be even closer now; Darth Vader must be on his way. The alarms on the _Tantive IV_ blare, and red lights begin to flash.

Padmé glances at the elegant Nubian blaster on her holster, the same one she used for years. If her blaster failed her, luckily, she kept lockpicks in a hidden pocket inside of her boot. That trick had saved her before when her life was on the line as a senator, and if she is captured, perhaps it would save her again.

Without saying anything more to one another, both Leia and Padmé break into a run down the back hallway. She glances into the main corridor to see that several rebel soldiers are in position, blasters raised and poised to fight. They are all going to die, and Padmé knows it. She and Leia might, too. But that is the sacrifice they all agreed to when they joined the Rebel Alliance; they all knew it could come to this.

Padmé looks again, but immediately regrets it. She can see the door to the ship from a distance, and the sparks flying all around its outline. The boarding party is coming through, and she knows that with a sinking feeling, Darth Vader is with them. She has heard countless horror stories about the Dark Lord of the Sith, how he broke necks with one raise of his hand and severed heads with one sweep of his lightsaber. There is a brutality in him that is beyond words, a darkness that is beyond comprehension.

A loud explosion makes Padmé flinch; the door must have been blown open, allowing the boarding party to come through. _This is it,_ she thinks. _This is really it._

She and Leia find a storage room in back hallways and crouch behind its opening. There is no door to the room, but Padmé doesn't think a simple sliding door would stop the Empire anyway. They look at one another as the sound of blasters can be heard from the main hall. Men begin to yell, and Padmé just hopes that the men dying are the Stormtroopers and not the rebels.

The noises continue for several minutes, and then it goes mostly quiet, except for some remaining blaster sounds, but they have become more distant, meaning that the rebels must be retreating.

Leia reaches out and holds Padmé's hand for comfort. Her breathing has become slightly heavier; she is likely trying to control her fear. "It's okay, Leia," her mother tries to comfort her, but even she is not completely calm. Her heartbeat has accelerated and her hand has become sweaty around her blaster; her nerves are slowly getting to her. It is difficult to be fearless when your life is hanging on such a fragile thread.

They hear footsteps coming near them, and both the women go utterly silent. Padmé and Leia exchange a glance, knowing they will have to fight. They nod at one another and rise from their crouched positions. Leia pokes her head out slightly to see the Stormtroopers searching the back hall, and Padmé follows.

They are quickly spotted by one of the troopers. "There's two! Set for stun!" he commands.

 _Set for stun_ —Darth Vader must want them alive to be interrogated. Padmé isn't sure if she'd rather die a mostly painless death right here, right now, or endure the agony Imperial interrogation with a slim chance to escape. A very, _very_ slim chance indeed.

Her daughter raises her weapon and fires; Padmé does the same. Together, they take down two troopers, but more four still remain. The two of them begin to run, but one of the Stormtroopers fire at Leia, and she falls to the floor. Padmé stops dead in her tracks and grabs her daughter with one arm and fires at the trooper who shot her with the other. He goes down, but then so does Padmé—another one is able to stun her, and she finds herself on the floor like Leia. Still awake, but unable to move. It is the most powerless feeling in the world, knowing that her daughter is stunned on the ground and there is nothing she can do prevent them Stormtroopers from picking them up and dragging them out of the back hallway.

"Inform Lord Vader we have prisoners," says one of the Stormtroopers to one of his comrades. "And bring us more men. I have a feeling these two might be difficult to handle."

They place handcuffs around their wrists, rendering them even more powerless than they already were. _We're really in for it, now,_ Padmé thinks to herself. If she could, she would run her thumb over her japor snippet; it is a nervous habit of hers, and the memory of her late husband is always comforting. But the Empire doesn't allow comfort—something Padmé will have to get used to.

Slowly, as the Stormtrooper guides Padmé into the main hall, her senses begin to return. More Stormtroopers join them, and soon enough, Leia and Padmé are being marched down the corridor. Now that they are able to move, Leia and Padmé exchange a nervous glance. Padmé is absolutely stricken with terror down to her very core, but she refuses to allow that emotion to cross her face. Especially not in front of Darth Vader, the man who killed her husband.

"Where are you taking us?" Padmé asks the Stormtroopers.

One of them replies, "To Lord Vader."


	2. Chasing Ghosts

Her heart stops the moment she lays eyes on him. The infamous Dark Lord of the Sith stands only a few feet away from her, and if she had the choice, she would have been paralyzed in fear. However, the Stormtroopers continue to march she and Leia forward. Padmé hesitates for a moment, but she is prodded back into movement by the trooper behind her.

Padmé does not like being afraid; it makes her feel weak, and she has never considered herself to be a weak woman. But it was difficult to control such a strong emotion like fear when she was in the presence of one of the darkest beings in the galaxy. Darth Vader—slayer of rebels, murderer of the innocent. She has only seen him in holograms, never in person. She has only heard stories; and she had hoped that they would just remain _stories_ , never become a reality.

But there she is, standing before him.

Vader's back is turned to her when they approach. He seems deep in discussion with one of his commanders, but he must sense them, or hear them, because he turns around once they are closer. His breathing is heavy and mechanical, distorted by his mask, just as Padmé's fellow rebels had described to her.

He is a tall man, dressed in a dark suit with a cape. That infamous black mask covers his face, concealing all emotion. Vader has always been quite the mystery; no one knows who he was before he became Darth Vader, if he ever had a different identity. There are speculations as to why he wears the mask; some say that he is horribly disfigured, that he has no face at all, that it hides his true identity, and Padmé has even heard that he is not even a man, but just a droid programmed by the Emperor.

He appears to freeze when he sees them. Vader makes no move towards them, but rather, he waits for the Stormtroopers to bring Padmé and Leia closer. Once they are standing face to face, he still says nothing, does nothing. Padmé's entire body has gone rigid and she feels as if she is made of ice; she wishes that he would just say something, _anything,_ rather than leave her in suspense. She expected him to yell at them, chastise them for being rebels, demand information. But he just _stands there_.

If he was going to speak, Leia does it before he can get a word out.

"Darth Vader, only you could be so bold," she remarks bravely. Padmé knows that Leia must be terrified on the inside, but she certainly hides it well. Her eyes are full of fire and hatred—a look Padmé had seen in Anakin's eyes the last time she saw him on the blazing planet of Mustafar.

 _"Leia…"_ Padmé warns, but her daughter brushes her off. Darth Vader crosses his arms defensively; she wonders what is beneath that mask, if his features are stoic or full of rage. Padmé cannot tell if he is looking at her or at Leia, or perhaps switching between both. All she sees is herself reflected in his blank stare.

"The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this," continues Leia, her voice much sterner now. "When they hear you've attacked a diplomatic—"

Darth Vader is quick to cut her off. "Don't act so surprised, _Your Highness,_ " he snaps. His voice is so harsh that it almost makes Padmé jump. She had heard that Vader spoke with a very mechanical voice, but it sounded so much _crueler_ than she ever imagined. He truly is a menacing man—or machine, whatever he is.

"You weren't on any mercy mission this time," Darth Vader continues. "Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by rebel spies. I—"

Now it is Padmé's turn to interject. "We didn't receive any transmissions," she asserts. Her heart beat jumps into acceleration as Vader's head turns away from Leia and his gaze rests on her. "The _Tantive IV_ is just a consular ship."

Darth Vader goes utterly silent, save for the sound of his breathing. Leia looks at Padmé in confusion, but Padmé doesn't break away her gaze from Vader. She waits for him to speak, but as the moments go by, she too becomes confused by his reaction. It is almost as if she shut him down with her words.

Growing impatient and even more anxious, Padmé speaks once more. "But I suppose attacking an innocent ship isn't abnormal for someone as vile as you, _Vader._ "

He replies this time, his voice low. "This is no innocent ship… _Amidala._ "

"A-Amidala?" Padmé repeats. She tries to compose herself, but she doesn't think that will save her if Vader knows who she is. "You must be mistaken—"

"There is no use lying to me," he tells her. "I know who you are. So, you are a member of the Rebel Alliance, then?" Perhaps Padmé was imagining things, but Darth Vader's voice seemed less harsh than it did before.

"We're on a diplomatic mission to—" Padmé begins, but Vader cuts her off.

"Everyone on this ship has said the exact same thing," he says. "But no one can tell me what happened to the plans the rebel spies sent here."

"We don't know what you're talking about," Leia retorts. "I'm a member of the _Imperial Senate_ on a _diplomatic mission_ to Alderaan."

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance, and a _traitor!_ " he retaliates. The anger and the harshness quickly returns to Vader's voice at Leia's words. _"Take her away!"_

The Stormtroopers begin to push Leia and Padmé towards the exit of the ship, but Vader stops them. "No," he commands. "Take the _princess_ away. Leave the other rebel here."

"What?" Leia protests. Half of the Stormtroopers begin leading her away, while the other half remains flanking Padmé. She begins to struggle, but it isn't to any avail, as she is outnumbered and her hands are bound. "No! Let me go! I'm not leaving her with _him!_ "

Padmé moves to try to comfort her daughter, but she is held back by one of the Stormtroopers. "Leia—" but then her voice breaks. Where are they taking her daughter? To be tortured? To be _killed_? Any of those ideas made her feel absolutely sick.

"Padmé!" Leia yells, still struggling, but the Stormtroopers persist, leading her out the door into Darth Vader's Star Destroyer, _The Devastator_.

Once her daughter disappears, Padmé turns back to Vader and scowls at him. "You have quite the nerve," she ridicules him. "What is the meaning of this?"

"You seem more reasonable than the princess," he tells her. "Perhaps you can be convinced to tell me the truth. I already know the Death Star plans were sent here. I already know this a rebel ship."

"I don't know _anything_ about Death Star plans," Padmé repeats the same thing she and Leia and every other passenger has already told him. "There's a reason why you haven't found them: they're not here. We don't have them." Technically speaking, it wasn't a lie. The plans should be safely on their way to Tatooine now, inside of R2-D2's storage compartment.

Vader shakes his head. "Then where are they?" Once again, his voice has softened. He does not yell at her like he did to Leia, does not snap or retort.

"Even if I did know, I would never tell you," Padmé says.

"Why? Because you're a rebel?"

She doesn't confirm or deny that fact, but she does say, "Because I _hate_ you." It isn't a lie. She does hate Darth Vader—in fact, he, along with the Emperor, are the only people Padmé has truly _hated_. They are viler, crueler, and more heartless than the Separatists were. Vader is more brutal than Count Dooku ever was, and more so than Darth Maul, too. He murdered her husband, he helped Palpatine destroy the Republic that she loved so dearly. He has killed thousands of her allies, ripped apart innocent planets in the name of justice. Padmé has just met the man, but she has hated him for years. She has never truly come to grips with that until now, until she finally faced him.

"I'll die before I tell you anything," she tells him, her voice firm and certain.

"You are not going to be executed," he replies calmly. She expected him to retaliate like he did to Leia before; Darth Vader, of all people, reacts _calmly_ when she openly defies him? It was unbelievable. "I will continue this conversation later, but I have matters to attend to," he tells Padmé.

Vader then turns his gaze upon the Stormtroopers. "I want her taken to one of the empty quarters on my floor," he instructs them. Padmé furrows her brow in confusion. _What?_

"Not to a cell, sir?" questions one of the Stormtroopers.

"No," he replies.

The commander that Vader was talking to earlier has been silent for a long time, so silent that Padmé didn't really notice him. But now he pipes up, "She isn't going to be… interrogated?"

At least Padmé isn't the only one who is confused. It seems that her situation is different from other prisoners, and she thinks she knows why. There is a chance that Darth Vader could know about her relationship with Anakin. If they were Palpatine's apprentices together, Anakin may have shared that information, or perhaps it slipped out somehow… Otherwise, she can't think of another reason why Vader wouldn't send her to a cell. But still, that didn't explain why he doesn't plan on interrogating her. Not that she is disappointed, especially since interrogation implies torture, she certainly finds it odd.

"I don't want her harmed," Darth Vader explains. "Next time you question my authority, I will not be so forgiving," he threatens his men. "Now, do as I say."

And they do; the Stormtroopers lead her away. Before Padmé disappears behind the exit, she casts one more curious glance at Darth Vader.

—✥—

His heart stopped the moment he laid eyes on her. Padmé is alive—it was really her, after all these years. He doesn't know how it is possible, but she was standing right in front of him only moments ago. Darth Vader has hardly felt anything but rage, hatred, and contempt for nearly twenty years. He has been hardened by his own brutality; he has allowed darkness to overgrow within him to the point that it has taken him over, completely corrupted every fiber of his being, right down to his soul.

But there's something that blooms in that darkness now. He can feel it, an undeniable warmth in an ice-cold wasteland. It's her—it's _Padmé_.

Darth Vader didn't what to do. He had frozen when he first saw her; at first, he wasn't sure if Padmé knew who he is, but it was confirmed to him that she didn't once she called him vile. She regarded him as a complete stranger, as a _monster._

He didn't mind it when other rebels called him such names, but from Padmé, that was a low blow.

Vader is beyond shocked and dumbfounded that Padmé had spoken to him that way. But surely, if she knew that he was once Anakin Skywalker, she wouldn't despise him so deeply. There is a part of him that enjoys her hatred, that relishes seeing anger on her—just not directed at him.

There is no doubt that Obi-Wan and the rebels have poisoned her mind. She must have been lied to, twisted into believing that he is something he's not. She must have been lied to about what happened to Anakin, too, otherwise, she would have known who he is.

But he did notice something else during their conversation. Padmé was still wearing the japor snippet necklace he made for her when he was just a boy, indicating that she hasn't quite let go of Anakin. If he approached her, revealed his true identity…

 _And then what?_ He ponders. The last time he saw Padmé… he doesn't even want to think about that. He remembers all to well, the fires of Mustafar, Padmé's pleas, her eyes watering with tears. Vader had believed that he killed her that day, but he was wrong. That fact changes everything—nineteen years of heavy guilt suddenly felt almost light as a feather, and most importantly, that the Emperor _lied_ to him. Or perhaps he did truly believe that Padmé was dead… but even then, he still would have lied about him killing her in his anger. It simply does not add up to him, and it makes his blood boil with rage.

Vader turns and begins to walk down the main passageway, and his commander follows him. "My lord," he says. "Holding the princess is dangerous. What if this gets out? It could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate."

"I have traced the rebel spies to her," Vader explains as they continue to walk. "Now she is my strongest link to finding their secret base."

"She'll die before she tells you anything," argues the commander.

For once, he is unsure about executing this particular rebel. During his conversation with Padmé and the Princess of Alderaan, he could sense a deep connection between the two of them. Padmé would likely be livid with him if he killed Leia Organa.

After nineteen years, he still cares for his first and only love. If he took away someone she loves, not only would it pain her, but it would also have consequences for him. He doesn't want to lose Padmé again, which means that he will have to convince her to join him… it would be quite the difficult task, knowing her, if he killed one of her cherished friends.

He has wanted to kill that insolent girl for years; she has been a thorn in his side for too far long. Princess Leia _deserves_ to die for everything she has done to defy the Empire, but Padmé would not see it that way.

"Leave that to me, Commander," orders Vader. "Send a distress signal, and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed."

The two of them are then stopped by another Imperial. "Lord Vader," the man greets him. "The battle station's plans are not aboard this ship, and no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no life forms were aboard."

 _Droids,_ Vader thinks. _Padmé and the princess are quite clever_.

"They must have hidden the plans in the escape pod," suggests Vader. He turns to the commander and orders, "Send a detachment down to retrieve them. See to it personally, Commander. There will be no one to stop us this time."

"Yes, sir," replies the commander. The other officer leaves, and they continue to walk. Vader expects the commander to stop following him, but he continues to linger. "My lord, I am curious."

"Yes, Commander?" Vader decides to tolerate his inquiries, though his patience is beginning to run thin.

"What of the woman?" he pries. "The other rebel?"

"I will find out more about her," replies Vader. He is careful with his words, not wanting to reveal his true relation to Padmé or his intentions with her. "I knew her in the days of the Old Republic. Interrogation methods won't suffice for her… I have a different approach. I trust that you believe I am capable of doing what is necessary."

"Of course, my Lord."

—✥—

Leia paces anxiously in her cell. She already knows that she is being taken to the Death Star; her fate is practically sealed at this point. But Padmé… what is going happen to her? She wasn't sent with Leia to the prison, and she hasn't heard anyone walk through these hallways since she got here.

Maybe Padmé is already dead and she just doesn't know it. _Anything_ would be better than that possibility, but Leia can't think of another one.

Is Vader torturing her right now? Is he choking the life out of her like he has done to so many others? Every time she tries to think of a different fate for Padmé, death is all she can come up with. It simply doesn't make sense otherwise why Padmé hasn't been brought to the prison like Leia.

She takes in a deep breath, but she just can't steady herself. Not when the woman she has been thinking of as a mother for seven years might be dead.

Suddenly, Leia's cell door opens, revealing the dark figure of Vader. He walks into her cell, the doors closing behind him as his arms fold across his chest.

She won't let her fear show through. Not for the fear for herself, and not her fear for Padmé, either. She refuses to give Vader the satisfaction. "No torture device?" Leia remarks boldly. "Don't tell me you've gone soft, Vader."

"No torture device _yet_ , Your Highness," he replies coolly. "I am not here to discuss the location of the rebel base."

"Then what are you here for?" she inquires, genuinely curious. Leia can't think of any other reason that would bring Vader to her cell.

"What is your relationship to Padmé Amidala?" he asks her. "And answer me honestly, or I _will_ return with a torture device. Or, better yet, I could save time and choke you until you tell me."

Leia scowls at him, anger surging within her in a great wave of fire. "There's nothing you can do to me that would make me betray Padmé."

"That almost answers my question," Vader gloats. "So, you care for her. Very deeply, I can sense, and now you've just confirmed it verbally. Now, describe to me, your _exact_ relationship to her."

She narrows her eyes. So, Padmé isn't dead after all—relief washes over her, but it is short lived. She isn't dead, but what does Vader want with her? What interest could he possibly have in her relationship to Padmé?

"Why do you care?" she tries to deflect the question rather than answer it.

"That is of no concern to you," is all he says in response. "I am growing impatient, Your Highness." He uses her royal title so sarcastically, so sourly, as if it is a cruel joke.

Leia says nothing. She has a bad feeling about this; anything she tells him could be used against her or Padmé, and the last thing she wants to do is put Padmé's life in jeopardy, more than it already is.

So screw Vader, she decides. He won't be getting anything out of her—not about Padmé, and not about the rebel base.

"Silence, then?" he growls. "Perhaps I could bring Padmé and the torture device into your cell, and demonstrate how exactly I'm going to torture you once we reach the Death Star."

She shakes her head. Vader is already using her connection to Padmé against her, but she doesn't take his words lightly. Darth Vader is not at all shy to violence, and Leia has no doubt that he may very well do exactly what he suggests he may do.

Vader can hurt Leia all he wants, but if he hurt Padmé…

"I—" she begins, but then her voice breaks off. Leia is uncertain of what to do. If all Vader wants is information about she and Padmé's relationship, would it truly hurt the Rebel Alliance? If she gave in, would she be helping Padmé, or hurting her?

"You don't need to hurt her," Leia says. "Padmé is an innocent in all of this."

 _"Explain,"_ he commands.

Leia slowly begins to formulate a plan in her mind, a plan that both gives Vader what he wants and could also help protect Padmé at the same time.

"She isn't a rebel," Leia lies. "Padmé was only with me on the mission because she's… almost my step-mother, in a way."

"Your _step-mother_?" he repeats. Vader's tone is flatter than usual, but Leia cannot tell if it is simply lack of emotion or irritation. She can never read Vader, not with his mask covering his face.

"She took care of me after my mother died, and she and my father are together," Leia explains.

Vader goes silent, but Leia sees his gloved hands curl into fists. After a few moments, he relaxes them, but she has a feeling that what she said did not go over well with him. She just hopes he doesn't decide to hurt Padmé, as he had threatened before.

Tension continues to rise within Leia as the Sith Lord remains silent for several more moments. The sound of his mechanical breathing only makes Leia more conscious of how much time is passing. But rather than allow his rage to pool, Leia says, "Please, Darth Vader, Padmé was at the wrong place at the wrong time. _Please_ don't punish her for something she isn't responsible for." Pleading with an Imperial—that was new. But this is _Padmé_ she is pleading for, not for her own life. She would never stoop that low for herself, but there is little she wouldn't do for her mother figure.

She expects him to retort with some inflammatory remark, but instead, he is rather short with her. "You have provided me with sufficient information. That will be all."

And with that, he just _leaves_. Leia sits alone in her cell, brows furrowed in confusion as she contemplates what exactly just happened.


	3. The Dark Truth

Padmé Amidala stares blankly at the ceiling of the room the Stormtroopers placed her in. Despite the fear and anxiety building within her, she lays almost peacefully on the gray bed in the room. She's been panicking so much for the past few hours that she just feels numb now, like all the feeling has just drained out of her.

She's already exhausted all of the possibilities why Vader sent her here, all of which end badly. There probably isn't much she can do to save Leia, either, not unless she can escape. But without outside help, escaping from a high-security Star Destroyer didn't seem very plausible. Padmé can't even get out of this _room_ —she already tried—let alone an entire ship.

If she dies, perhaps she would see Anakin in the afterlife, if there is one awaiting her. Padmé smiles weakly to herself; it is a nice thought among many grim ones.

Padmé sits up on her bed when she hears the doors to the room slide open. Darth Vader is standing in the doorway and tentatively takes a few steps forward, almost as if he is nervous. She just peers at him, completely silent and still, waiting for him to speak rather than taking initiative herself. There's an anxious knot gathering in the back of her throat, she just wishes he would disappear. She wants this all to just disappear; she wishes to be back on Alderaan, watching the snow fall outside the window that looks into the courtyard.

Padmé doesn't want to talk to him at all, but she knows she doesn't have much of a choice. While she may not be in a cell, she is most certainly a prisoner.

"Are you afraid?" he asks her. Vader must sense her apprehension through the Force; Padmé remembers that Anakin and other Force users could usually interpret others' emotions just by being in their presence.

 _Yes,_ she answers in her head, but she would never admit that aloud. She won't give him the pleasure of knowing that she fears him.

Instead of answering, Padmé says nothing. She just looks into that empty stare of his and crosses her arms in defiance.

"You don't need to be," he continues once he realizes that he isn't going to get a vocal answer from her. She supposes that he doesn't really need one; she doesn't even understand why he asked her that question in the first place, when all he has to do is reach out through the Force to know.

This time, she says something in return. "And why is that?" she inquires, truly curious. His intentions are still a mystery to her, and it makes her beyond nervous not knowing what he wants.

Vader does not answer her question. Instead, he replies with a question of this own. "On the ship, you said you wouldn't tell me anything because you 'hate me.' Explain that to me; I have not seen you in nineteen years. What have I done to warrant your hatred?"

 _Nineteen years?_ Padmé ponders. Could Vader have been someone she knew? A former Jedi, perhaps?

"What do you mean, 'nineteen years?'" she asks. "I've never seen you in person until today."

"You have," he replies. "You just don't know it." Before Padmé can say anything, Vader continues. "I would like for you to answer my question. Why did you say that you hate me?"

He demands nothing of her, Padmé realizes. One would think that Vader would only give orders, give her commands. But he doesn't—instead, he _requests_ this information of her.

She gulps, but the nervous knot in her throat remains. Though she has heard his voice many times now, Padmé still hasn't gotten used to the deep, mechanical voice that still sounds somewhat human. Nor has she gotten used to his respirator, which is unnervingly loud in the thickening silence.

Padmé stands so that she is more level with Vader, trying to muster her courage. Even when she is up on her feet, the shadowy figure of Darth Vader still looms ominously over her. She feels trapped, like a caged animal being prepared for slaughter, despite the fact that Vader has made no move to harm her. He hasn't even _threatened_ her.

But it is impossible for her to not be comfortable when she is standing in the same room as a Dark Lord of the Sith. Her room is a relatively standard size for a spacecraft, but still smaller than most bedrooms in a house or an apartment. Vader is standing on the other side of the room from her, but he not actually many feet away from her.

She looks at Vader, regards the man who murdered her husband with nothing but disdain. "I said that I hate you because I _do_ ," she responds. "You _killed_ my husband."

"Did I, now?" he replies. If his voice wasn't so flattened and distorted by his mask, Padmé may have thought that she had amused him. "And who told you that lie? Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Padmé tenses up and furrows her brow in both confusion and frustration, easily betraying to Vader that he is correct. It was Obi-Wan who told her that Darth Vader was the man who took away her husband, but how could Vader simply assume that?

Darth Vader takes a step toward her, and Padmé nearly staggers back, but the edge of the bed stops her.

" _Padmé_ ," he says, almost softly. Vader speaks her name with such familiarly that it unsettles and flusters her. "Obi-Wan lied to you."

" _Don't_ say my name like that," she snaps, glowering at him now. "Don't say my name like you know me."

"I know you better than you think," Vader counters. "And unlike Obi-Wan, I'm not a liar. I didn't kill your husband."

Padmé's heart flutters in her chest like a caged bird. She wants that to be true. She wants Anakin to be alive so badly, so desperately, and Vader must know this. He's using Anakin against her, but for what, she doesn't know. There is a part of her, a dark, despairing part of her, that wants to fall right into Vader's lie. But she knows better than to trust a Sith; Padmé is no fool.

"It is true that Anakin Skywalker is gone, but he is not dead," continues Darth Vader. "In order for me to live, he had to cease to exist."

"What do you mean by that?" Padmé presses, crossing her arms. She doesn't believe one word that comes out of Vader's mouth, but she is curious to see how whatever twisted plan he's conjured up will unfold. Besides, she has a gut feeling that if she gives him most of the responses he wants, he would be less inclined to choke the life out of her or her daughter.

"I _was_ Anakin Skywalker."

* * *

He may have pushed it too far with this one. Padmé hasn't said a single word in several seconds, but he can feel the turmoil in her Force signature and see the bewilderment on her face. She seems to have shut down; it's like she has caved in on herself. It's like she was glass and he shattered her with just those four words— _"I was Anakin Skywalker."_

Darth Vader does not rush her. He is not a patient man, but he would wait for Padmé, especially in such a delicate situation.

Finally, Padmé opens her mouth to speak, and Vader is hanging on to every last word. "You're—" she starts, but then her voice breaks as her brown eyes become glossy with tears that threaten to brim over. Padmé draws in a deep breath, and Vader can feel her through the Force, struggling to push her maelstrom of emotions into a corner.

"You're lying—that's _not_ true. That's _impossible!_ " Her voice is slightly raised now, but it is not out of anger, but rather in tumult.

Her emotions are haywire. She's losing it on the inside, but Vader doesn't need the Force to tell him that.

"The only reason you are upset is because you _know_ that it is possible." Darth Vader is slowly pushing her over the edge, but he figures that perhaps that is exactly what she needs to the see the truth.

His gaze moves up and down Padmé until it finally settles on her necklace. He had noticed it before on the _Tantive IV_ , and he knows exactly what it means. Padmé may say that she hates him, that she hates Darth Vader. But the japor snippet she wears tells another story: that after all these years, she still loves Anakin Skywalker.

She still loves Anakin Skywalker—in spite of her romance with the princess's father. Vader never saw Bail Organa as a threat in the days of the Old Republic, when he was still a Jedi hero. It makes his blood boil to think that all that time he was with Padmé, Bail may have had his eye on her. Of course, Bail would have been unaware of their relationship, but he was married to Breha at the time. There is the slightest possibility that Padmé and Bail may have been together while Padmé carried on with him, but Vader tries to put that thought to rest immediately. His anger has not completely blinded him right now, and he shouldn't scare Padmé with any assumptions.

"The japor snippet around your neck?" he says. "I gave that to you when I was nine. And you still wear it after all these years, despite your relationship with _Bail Organa_." And there it is—a little flame of his outrage at Padmé and Bail's relationship. Ever since the Princess of Alderaan had spilled that to him, he hasn't been able to stop mulling over it in his mind. Padmé and Bail together is an utterly miserable thought; her lips against his, them spending the night together… His insides twist abhorrently.

Perhaps he should kill Bail in his spare time, he ponders. He would make him suffer, of course, perhaps cut off his limbs and stab holes into his body before he lets him die. But he would neat about it, ensure that it didn't look like Vader was responsible for his death. Padmé would never know.

His anger is kindling within him, but he is on his best behavior right now. For once, Vader is actually trying to mind himself. Padmé's presence in calming enough to prevent him from lashing out, luckily.

"Leave Bail out of this," Padmé tells him sternly. The fire in him grows as she defends her lover, and he vows silently to himself that there is nothing she can do to protect that rebel scum from his wrath. It would hurt Padmé if he killed Bail, and that fact alone makes him want to cut every piece of furniture into pieces with his lightsaber. The fact that she actually _cares_ for him is what hurts him so deeply. He can feel it through the Force that Padmé does genuinely love Organa. She isn't just using him, stringing him along like a toy. But he _wishes_ that she was. It wouldn't take away his inflamed jealousy, but it would soften the blow.

"You have no business in my love life." Padmé's features are no longer fearful. He can tell that she is trying to be more austere, to compose herself, but she cannot stop the moisture from gathering in her eyes. She can only fight them from falling.

Vader doesn't want to see her in pain like this, but he tries to reason that the pain is necessary for Padmé to accept the truth. And once she does, perhaps it won't hurt her anymore.

"I mourned you for years, Padmé," he tells her. "And I still did until today. But clearly, you didn't do the same." His voice is full of venom and he knows that what he said was cold, but he'll have to make her more vulnerable if he's going to make her believe him. Padmé has these walls up, and Vader must break them down.

"You don't get to tell me how I feel about my husband's death," Padmé retaliates. Along with the sadness in her features, there is anger, too. He can feel it rise within her, and though it is directed at him, he likes the way it looks on her. "You know _nothing_."

Inside of his mask, which Padmé cannot see, Vader is raising his brow. "Must I continue to prove that I am who I say I am?" he asks her. When she doesn't answer immediately, he continues. "We married on Naboo, by a lake. Our twenty-second anniversary passed just weeks ago."

He seems to have struck a nerve, because a single tear finally falls from Padmé's eye. She isn't glaring at him anymore, and the anger that once twisted her features has no relaxed and given way to her realization. The truth is starting to sink in—he can feel it.

But Vader doesn't stop there. "There was once a time when I gave you my lightsaber in your office on Coruscant. We were arguing about your duties as a senator getting in the way of our relationship," he says. Vader recalls the moment like it was yesterday. He was a young, naïve Jedi, and Padmé the responsible Senator of Naboo. He had suggested going on vacation for two weeks, but Padmé told him that presenting a bill to the Senate was more important. Vader had given Padmé his lightsaber to prove how important their relationship was to him—after all, a Jedi's lightsaber was his life, as his former master had once told him.

"And you thought I was making fun of you," Vader finishes his little flashback. Though he doesn't mention it to Padmé, he remembers pulling her close and kissing her in that office. He has not kissed his wife in nearly twenty years, not since that night on Coruscant after the attack on the Jedi Temple. And he realizes, with a sinking feeling in his chest, that he would probably never be able to again. Not only is Padmé against the Empire right now, but he is also confined to this suit, and his injuries… he would never allow Padmé to see him like that.

Padmé is shaking her head at him, and he decides to take a look into her mind. It isn't difficult to intrude on her thoughts; her guard has fallen.

 _Anakin and I were completely alone in my office_ , she is thinking. _He couldn't know that, unless… unless…_

Vader's heart swells with hope that she'll believe him, that he's gotten through to her. As Padmé remains silent, deep in her thoughts, Vader decides to continue to peek into her mind. He has never read her thoughts before, and he has never been more intrigued by the workings of someone's mind. Vader has interrogated countless rebels, flipped through their deepest thoughts and memories, but this is different. He isn't forcing his way into Padmé's thoughts, either. He is just barely grazing the surface, reading only what is going through her mind at this instant. Vader _could_ delve deeper, but decides to allow Padmé her privacy.

His onslaught of nostalgia has sent her mind whirling. A moving image appears in Padmé's head, one of that day in her office. He is quite pleased, but also somewhat haunted, by the exact moment Padmé has captured.

 _Padmé holds his lightsaber in her hand, looking up at him doubtfully. She is wearing one of her senatorial dresses, grand and beautiful and elegant._

 _"It's yours," Anakin tells her. Anakin, not Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker, with his light brown hair, gentle sky-blue eyes, unmarred and handsome features. "Believe me now?"_

 _Padmé's eyes are copper in the sunlight that pours into her office. She scoffs and her gaze flickers down to the ground, but then returns to Anakin. "If all you want to do is make fun of me," she sighs, "I think you should just go."_

 _She begins to walk away, but Anakin puts his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "That's not what I want," he replies, caressing her cheek with his gloved hand. "Not at all."_

 _The disappointment on Padmé's face falls and is replaced by warmth. She smiles up at her husband and leans into kiss him, and—_

Padmé's thoughts are suddenly cut off as she shuts herself down. Vader realizes that while he was listening in, he had been holding his breath, and the room had gone utterly quiet without the sound of his respirator.

Her incredulous stare bores into him, but the truth is setting in. The turmoil, the chaos within her begins to subside, leaving clarity in its wake. Padmé knows the truth and he can feel it, knows it just as well as she does.

Another tear falls down her cheek. He wishes she wouldn't cry like that, and if he didn't think she would recoil from him, he would have wiped it away with his hand.

"If you're Anakin," she says, her voice almost cracking as she speaks, "then show me. Remove your mask, and then I'll know the truth."

He can't— _he won't_. Despite having almost all of the power in the galaxy, Vader's appearance and injuries make him feel absolutely pathetic and weak. He can bend the Force with a simple raise of his hand, cut down armies with his lightsaber, but at the end of the day, Vader is forever crippled by what Obi-Wan did to him.

"No," he tells her. "You already know the truth." And he's right, he knows he is. Padmé knows that he is— _was_ Anakin. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so upset. She wouldn't be crying.

"Why?" she asks. "Why do you wear it?"

He decides to enlighten her. Though it may be embarrassing for him, Padmé deserves the truth, and he is hoping that this new information will unveil the truth that Obi-Wan is not the man Padmé believes he is, that he is deplorable.

"Obi-Wan did this to me," Vader replies acerbically. "On Mustafar, we battled. To say the least, it did not end well for me. He severed the three of my remaining limbs, and I fell near a river of lava. The flames caught onto my clothes. Obi-Wan stood there, _watched_ as I burned alive."

Padmé inhales sharply. Her brow furrows in disbelief, shock, and pity. "Obi-Wan wouldn't… he cared about you, he—"

"He is the reason I have been imprisoned in this suit for the past nineteen years," Vader snaps. His voice raises slightly for a moment as his anger flares up, but he tries to calm his tone. "Do not defend him, Padmé. He did everything in his power to drive us apart, to hurt me."

"Obi-Wan didn't drive us apart," Padmé argues, shaking her head. "I didn't leave you, Anakin." He wants to correct her and tell her that Anakin is no longer his name, but given her emotional state, he decides to let it be for now.

" _You_ left _me_ when you turned to the Dark Side," she continues. "I could never be a part of that. I always knew you had anger, but I never thought… I never thought it could be so strong to drive you to… to _this_."

Padmé no longer regards him as a stranger, but she still looks at the darkness within him and is utterly disappointed. And there's something else, now— _despair_. He feels her spirit slowly being crushed and knows, with a pang of guilt, that it is because of him.

"Anakin Skywalker was weak," Vader says, his hands clenched into fists. He's trying not to lose it, but the fire within him has blazed into an inferno now. This is all _Obi-Wan's_ fault; he's poisoned Padmé's mind and she's still turned against him after all this time. "I _destroyed_ him."

Two more tears dribble down Padmé's cheeks. "Don't talk like that," she says. "There _is_ good in you. I know it, I—I know you."

But she is wrong. There is no conflict within Vader; he is fully realized as a Dark Lord of the Sith, and if not for his injuries, he would have risen far above his master by now.

"In time, you will realize that things are better this way," he tells her. His fists are still clenched at his side, but there is nothing to release his anger on right now. Vader had made the mistake of taking his rage out on Padmé, and he has regretted it for nearly two decades. He will not repeat that mistake.

"Anakin—"

"That is _not_ my name," he cuts her off. His words have grown harsher, and Padmé seems to realize that, because she flinches when he snaps at her.

"I—" she begins, but then she stops. Padmé sits down on the bed looks down at the ground, refusing to look at him. "Just go, please."

She buries her face in her hands to shield her tears from Vader's eyes. _"Just leave,"_ she tells him again. Her voice is firm despite the sobs that begin to rack her body.

Vader wants to apologize, but he decides to do as Padmé says. He turns and walks out the door, leaving Padmé alone in her room.

The moment he is gone from her presence, Vader is no longer able to contain himself. That calming aura of Padmé's has vanished, leaving him to succumb to the inferno of his own fury. Vader storms down the hallway and turns the corner to the passageway that leads to the main hall of this floor. As he emerges into the main corridor, several of his men glance at him in fear, but they quickly look away, knowing not to stare when Vader is in one of his moods.

Guilt, despair, shame—these grim emotions always have a way of manifesting themselves in the form of rage within Vader. And when an Imperial protocol droid passes by him and says, "Greetings, Lord Vader," he quite literally loses it.

Vader turns to the droid, absolutely seething, and grabs it by the neck. Several Imperials stop dead in the hallway, while others move along, minding their business, not wanting to be next. He smashes the droid against a wall again and again, until the light that illuminates its eyes flickers and dies and it is nothing more than a scrap of metal. It doesn't even _look_ like it was once a droid.

He turns and looks at the railing at the end of the hall. Below him are several other floors, where Imperials march and meander about. Some of them are probably actually having a pleasant day, and he instantly hates them for it.

Vader takes banged up metal that was once a protocol droid and thrusts it over the railing. It falls down several floors, hitting a group of armored Stormtroopers. A few of them fall to the floor, while the others help them up.

"Ow!" one of them exclaims. "What was that?"

But by the time they look up, Vader is already gone, rushing down the main hall to the elevator.


End file.
